Water meters – your questions answered www.ofwat.gov.uk Information for household customers Water today, water tomorrow Water meters – your questions answered Water meters – your questions answered Our role is to make sure that your water company provides you with a good quality service at a fair price. Although it seems to rain a lot in England and Wales, water is a scarce resource in some parts of the country – particularly in the south and south- east of England. And it is likely to become more scarce in the future as our demand for water grows, our population increases and our climate changes. The water companies we regulate are taking action now to make sure that supplies continue to be secure in future. This includes tackling leakage, promoting water efficiency and installing meters. This leaflet provides information for household customers about metering. Contents About water meters 3 Deciding whether to have a meter 13 If your company cannot install a meter 15 If your company wants to install a meter at your property 19 Help with your bill 22 Further information 25 2 Water today, water tomorrow About water meters What are water meters? A water meter is a device that measures how much water you use. It is similar to your gas or electricity meter. Your supplier uses readings from the meter to calculate how much to charge you for your water and sewerage services. If you have a meter, the amount you pay will depend on how much water you have used. If you do not have a meter, you will be charged a fixed amount each year (‘unmetered’ charges). These charges usually relate to the rateable value of your property. You should check your bill to see how you pay for your water. Some people regard meters as the fairest way to charge for water and sewerage services. This is because you pay for how much water you use. Research that the Consumer Council for Water and Ofwat carried out found that most customers think metering is the fairest way to charge. At the moment, about 40% of customers in England and Wales have a water meter. But this number is slowly increasing. 3 Water meters – your questions answered How is my bill worked out if I have a meter? Your water company will usually read your meter twice a year. If it cannot read your meter, it will estimate how much water you have used so that it can send you a bill. You can also provide a meter reading to your company yourself at any time. If you disagree with your estimated bill and want one based on your own meter reading, the company will send you a further bill based on that reading. It is a good idea to read your meter regularly and give the company a reading so your bills are more accurate. It will also help you to track how much water you are using and make it easier to spot leaks. Your bill is usually made up of a: • standing charge for water, which is fixed and covers the costs to the company of reading, maintaining and replacing meters and administering customers’ accounts; • charge for water, measured in cubic metres (m3); • standing charge for used (waste) water, which is fixed and covers the same costs as the standing charge outlined above; and • charge for collecting and treating your dirty water, measured in cubic metres. If you receive your water service and your sewerage service from different suppliers, you may receive two bills – one from each company. If surface rainwater from your property drains to the public sewer, your sewerage company will also charge you to take the water away. This is called the surface water drainage charge and it covers the cost of collecting and treating the rainwater. If the surface water from your property does not drain to the public sewer and you are being charged for surface water drainage, you should contact your company. You may be entitled to a rebate on your bill. The charge for surface water drainage 4 Water today, water tomorrow may be included in the wastewater standing charge or the volumetric charge. It may also appear as a separate item on your bill. The companies also treat water that falls onto the public roads and drains to the sewers and collect a charge for this. This service is called highway drainage. You will be liable for highway drainage charges if you are connected to the public sewer for foul or surface water drainage. Will my bill go up or down if I have a meter? Many people find that they can save money by having a meter installed. Your bill will be higher or lower depending on: • how much you pay now; • the number of people in your home; • how much water each of you uses; and • how much you are able to reduce your water use. You should contact your company to find out if you might benefit from having a meter. You can also find a water meter calculator on the Consumer Council for Water’s website (www.ccwater.org.uk). How can I save money on my bill? Having a meter will make you more aware about how much water you use. You may be able to save money on your bill if you use less water. Using water wisely can also help reduce your gas or electricity bills because heating water uses a lot of energy. You only have to make small changes to start saving water. Many companies offer free water-saving devices. Contact your company for more information about water-saving measures you can introduce in your home. 5 Water meters – your questions answered How do I find my water meter? Your meter will normally be located: • outside your home (look for a small metal or plastic cover in your driveway, garden or nearby footpath); • in a small wall-mounted box on the side of your property; or • inside your property (normally where the water supply pipe enters your home, usually under the kitchen sink). If you cannot find your meter, contact your water company. It should tell you where the meter is located. Reading your meter Serial number: This is a unique number. It should match the serial number on your bill. If not, you could be paying someone else’s bill. Black and white or digital numbers: These show how much water you have used measured in cubic metres. (A cubic metre equals 1,000 litres.) This is what your company uses to calculate your bill – and what you should quote when you give the company a reading. 6 Water today, water tomorrow Simple ways to save water 1. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. A running tap wastes more than six litres of water a minute. 2. Make sure that your washing machine and dishwasher (if you have one) are full before you use them. Try to use the most water and energy efficient settings. 3. Fix a dripping tap. This can save as much as 75 litres of water a day. 4. Use a bowl to wash up rather than leaving the hot tap running. You could save about £25 a year on your energy bills. 5. Install a water butt. The average rooftop collects 85,000 litres of water every year. A water butt is a great way to put some of this to use. 6. Check the overflow on your toilet cistern to make sure it is not using more water than necessary. 7 Water meters – your questions answered 8 Water today, water tomorrow What are my rights and responsibilities? Asking for a meter • You have the right to request a meter. This should to be installed be free of charge unless changes to your plumbing are required. • Your water company should install the meter within three months of your request. • If it does not do this, the company should offer to adjust your bill to reflect the charges you would have paid if you had been on a meter. • The company can refuse your request to install a meter if it would be impractical or too expensive to do so (see page 15). Deciding where the • The company will choose where to put the meter. meter should go You can ask for it to be installed in a different place, but you may be required to pay the difference in costs. • If you have special requirements because of age, illness or disability, the company may fit the meter free of charge in a location that is easy for you to access (see page 24). Altering or • The company cannot insist you pay metered extending your charges. home • But it is allowed to change the unmetered charges you pay. Moving house • You should provide your company with a meter reading as soon as you move in or out so that your bill is accurate. • The company can charge you using the meter if you are the new occupier of a property (provided it has not already sent you an unmetered bill). It can also install a meter on change of occupier. 9 Water meters – your questions answered Changing your • If you choose to have a meter installed, you can mind switch back to your previous method of charging within the first 12 months. The company will not remove the meter. • You may not be able to switch back to unmetered charges if you live in an area of water stress where the Government has allowed compulsory metering (see page 19) as part of a plan to maintain secure water supplies.